A pleasant warmth greeted Holly upon entering the Gryffindor common room. The spacious tower of deep crimson red glowed from the light of three burning hearths. Many of the older students already clustered together on the many chairs and couches set around the room. The prefect Percy pointed out the doorway that led to their domintory before turning and joining with a group of students wearing identical badges.
Some students went directly through those doors, owing to the late hour. The four first year Gryffindor girls walked in unison up a short spiral staircase to their assigned dorm. Fay opened the door and Holly closed it, being the last to enter. Four four-poster beds were set evenly apart from each other with their trunks resting at the foot. Like the common room, everything is colored in deep red, except the dark wooden desks and wardrobe beside each bed.
"Meow!" Lyra's black cat sounded off loudly from on top of her trunk.
The cat ran towards Lyra's feet, evidently wanting to be picked up, which she did.
"Hey, it hasn't been that long," she soothed the animal while rubbing his head. "Uhh, I hope nobody minds a cat in here," she said out loud.
"It's ok," Fay and Hermione said, lightly petting him as they walked by.
"Yea, I don't mind," Holly said a moment later when Lyra looked her way.
"Great, he's smart and will pretty much keep it himself. His name is Felix by the way," said Lyra.
"Oh look, our uniforms have changed," Fay said with a bit of excitement.
The girls went to their beds to observe their now red trimmed cloaks and skirts. The emblem of Gryffindor fastened to match with all other students of the house. Holly did not pay as much attention to the clothes as the other did. Rather she stared at the four poster that is her new bed, for the first time having one of her own. She placed on hand on it and pressed down, feeling how soft and comfortable it must be.
An entryway to the right of each bed led to a small private bathroom. The other three girls gathered their pajamas and went into their own private bathrooms to prepare for bed. Holly still felt her new bed, a minute later she removed her shoes and sat on the edge. Lost in her own thoughts she sat there, eventually entering into awful notions that none of this is real. Instead that this is some sort of dream she is about to wake from. The Holly Potter of yesterday did not have a bed, or a full stomach, or maybe even...a friend.
Hermione exited her bathroom first to see her still sitting there. She wore blue and yellow striped pajamas with her hair pulled back in a loose tie. Thankfully she didn't pay Holly any attention before settling into her own bed and pulling the curtain closed. Tommorow is the official start of term and it was already much later than her typical bed time. Fay acted much the same, giving Holly a silent wave goodnight before closing up her bed. Lyra came out last, dressed in dark blue pjs, her cat resting in her arms again.
"It's late, aren't you tired?" Lyra asked barely above a whisper.
Holly nodded a few moments later, her eyes glazed over in deep thought.
"What's the matter?" Lyra asked, coming close to sit beside her on the bed.
She swallowed thickly, her throat feeling very tight all of a sudden.
"I-I think I might be dreaming," Holly said finally.
"Ha," Lyra laughed a bit loudly before covering her mouth, not wishing to disturb her new roommates already. "Don't be silly," she whispered.
"This is all just...too much, it doesn't seem real," Holly said, her voice shaking slightly to prove how serious she felt.
"Holly, what is going on?" Lyra asked, now becoming as serious as her.
Lyra scooted back to sit near the center of the bed and motioned for Holly to do the same. Then she pulled the curtain closed, hoping that would allow them to talk louder with more privacy. Holly leaned back against the headboard and pulled her knees up to her chest. Blinking slowly she observed how large her new bed truly is.
"This bed is bigger than the cupboard," she said in a low whisper.
"Cupboard?" Lyra asked, a confused look on her face.
"...It is where I used to sleep, under the stairs," Holly said, wondering if she should talk about what was going on in her mind. But if this is a dream then what did it matter?
"You slept!..." Lyra exclaimed in a much louder tone before stopping herself. "Why?" she asked in a lower voice.
"It's where my aunt and uncle put me," she answered, looking down at her toes. "I keep thinking I'm about to wake up and I'll be there."
Lyra knew she wasn't lying, but she couldn't rid herself of her expression of shocked disbelief. Some of Holly's odd behavior is beginning to make more sense now. But why someone would treat her like that made no sense. Therefore she had to convice her that the here and now is reality. So, balancing her cat in one arm, she reached out and pinched her pinky toe.
"Oww," Holly said more in surprise instead of hurt.
"See, if this is a dream then you would have woken up. But you felt it, so this has to be real," Lyra said, grinning to prove her point.
"Yea, I guess," Holly agreed but didn't sound entirely convinced.
"Or maybe that is something the dream-me would do," Lyra mused.
Holly chuckled at that, the edges of her mouth lifting upwards for a brief grin. Then the remembered something the sorting hat told her. She grew quiet a moment later, nervous about asking but going ahead and saying it anyway.
"Earlier, when the hat was on my head...it said that maybe...we could be friends," Holly began to say with a quivering voice, looking down at her toes again. "I haven't had any friends before so...I don't really know...will you be my friend?"
Lyra's response did come as a surprise when she quickly moved forward and wrapped her arms around her in a hug. Physical affection is also something very new to her. Holly didn't know what to do but do her best not to flinch or panic.
"Yes, I will be your friend," she said, close to her ear.
Holly smiled again, her eyes brightened as her heart picked up speed within her chest. Her own arms felt ready to hug Lyra in return but a muffled meow from Felix caused her to pull back first.
"Oops, sorry Felix," Lyra said, looking down at her cat, quickly petting him a few times. "Holly, whatever horrible things your aunt and uncle did, you don't have to worry about happening here at Hogwarts."
"Ok, I'll try," she nodded slowly, her voice showing a little optimism.
"Good, let's get some sleep then, tomorrow is probably going to be a long day," whispered Lyra before pulling the curtain back and sliding out. "Goodnight, sweet dreams," she added before closing it back for her.
"Goodnight," Holly said softly, then eased herself to lay flat.
The bed felt so comfortable that it didn't take long for sleep to come. Though still in her school robes and not even noticing or caring. Gently her eyes closed and with a soft smile, she entered into an actual dream. One without the Dursleys or cupboards but one with limitless new possibilities.